TT commits to climate change

The ceremony was held at the Ministry of Planning and Development. Blewitt also called the signing of the document a milestone for the country in the area of climate change.

According to Blewitt, “The Preparation of Trinidad and Tobago’s Third National Communication and First Biennial Update Report to the UNFCCC is in keeping with Trinidad and Tobago’s international commitment to sustainable development.

In a press release dated November 6th 2016, Minister Robinson-Regis outlined the priority being placed on Trinidad and Tobago’s global environmental and climate change commitments.

The singing of this document and the official commencement of the project is an important milestone in the national drive to ensure that Trinidad and Tobago’s development pathway is a climate resilient one in keeping with global best practice.

“The Third National Communication (TNC) (TNC) and First Biennial Update Report (BUR) are being prepared to ensure compliance with the UNFCCC requirements which Trinidad and Tobago ratified in June 1994. It has several intended outcomes aimed at improving the national capacity for policy and strategy development around climate change initiatives. These types of initiatives provide much needed updates to the Convention on the national circumstance as it relates to climate change including a national Greenhouse Gas inventory and an assessment of the vulnerability and adaptation issues and technology and capacity needs of the country. This project also addresses the preparation required to fulfil our commitment on the First Biennial Update Report (BUR)...” Meanwhile, Planning and Development Minister, Camille Robinson-Regis, also present at the ceremony, reminded that while the Ministry and other stakeholders are doing their part, the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago must also do theirs. She described each citizen as an “architect” of the future, whose actions, whether good or bad, have an impact on society.

Additionally, she urged citizens to follow environmental laws and become educated about the dangers of climate change and global warming.

She encouraged the public, also, to sort out their trash and conserve electricity by turning off lights in their home when not in use.

She closed, “If we all begin to adopt simple behaviours as habits the positive difference we can make is well within our grasp...The age of empowerment is upon us, let us use our power to the change for good...”